Steelers Coach Tomlin Fined $100,000

Tomlin Is Fined $100,000; Steelers Could Lose Picks

ENLARGE

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin watches his players warm up before an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore.
Associated Press

The NFL on Wednesday fined Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin $100,000 and will consider stripping draft picks from Pittsburgh following the season after an incident last week in which Tomlin stood too close to the field during a kick return against the Baltimore Ravens.

In the third quarter of Thursday's game, Baltimore kick returner Jacoby Jones sprinted down the sideline on the way to a potential touchdown when Tomlin edged well into the "restricted white border" next to the field, forcing Jones to cut back to toward the middle of the field, where he was tackled.

Tomlin said Wednesday that he takes "full responsibility for my actions, and I apologize for causing negative attention to the Pittsburgh Steelers organization."

Earlier this week, Tomlin called the move "embarrassing, inexcusable, illegal." The NFL said the play should have drawn an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty during the game.

Tomlin said he was simply watching Jones's return on the video screen, like he always does, and lost his placement. Upon realizing how close he was, he said, he jumped out of the way.

The league said it would evaluate whether to modify or take away a draft pick or do anything at all once the draft order is set.

—Kevin Clark

On Tap for Next Season: NFL Football With Breakfast

Next season's game between the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons at London's Wembley Stadium will kick off at 1:30 p.m. local time (9:30 a.m. ET). The NFL said the early start for the Oct. 26 game will give fans across the globe more football to watch. "Debuting a new game time that we expect to be a hit with fans on both sides of the Atlantic," said NFL executive Mark Waller.

The other two London games in 2014, Miami Dolphins-Oakland Raiders (Sept. 28) and Dallas Cowboys-Jacksonville Jaguars (Nov. 9) will start at 6 p.m. local time (1 p.m. ET).

The NFL played two games in London this season. Minnesota beat Pittsburgh 34-27 in Week 4 and San Francisco routed Jacksonville 42-10 in Week 8.

Amazing how sport fans gravitate towards these conspiracy theory fantasies & readily accept them as an irrefutable fact. Likewise the TV talking heads who thrive on this sort of stuff.

The real issue here is that NFL officials rarely throw a flag when any player/coach invades what is supposed to be an on-field no-man's land. So what happened last week is actually a common occurrence in terms of people being where they are not supposed to be ( the nearby officially certainly did not react other than to read it for what it was . . . . a near collision avoided ). So who was wrong here? Tomlin clearly admits his error, NFL officials remain mute and the league puffs it's chest out in outrage at something it has heretofore ignored.

So yeah, an already rules-overrun NFL needs to tighten up and make a decision. But that decision should not be to take away draft picks for a rule that the top brass itself regularly ignored until this incident reminds all that folks need to be standing where they belong.

It's unfortunate that coach Harbaugh reacts in his own classless manner suggesting a conscious effort by coach Tomlin to obstruct. That's just not how I read the bulk of today's NFL coaches. They are indeed creative in play-calling and disguising intentions, but aside from the Jets sideline fiasco a few years back I don't recall anything resembling conscious interference.

Then again, there are legions who still hate New England while others ignore the portents of the New Orleans "hit to injure" strategy which fell prey to the legal guys. Pittsburgh is a class organization so Tomlin will pay his fine and move on. Let's hope the NFL does not follow the NCAA down the path of mindless post facto retribution.

I thought it was deliberate. If you look at the KDKA video from behind the runner you will see him move towards the sideline then look over his shoulder waiting for Jones to get closer. The fine is correct. Draft choices would not.

For deliberate long-term violation of the rules the Patriots got a relative slap on the wrist.

total nonsense. 100k for standing in the wrong place. What about ALL the officials who screwup regularly at every game. It is time for the coaches to be able to openly complain about the POOR oficiating and missed calls. ie Redskins game!

Amazing all the fuss over this (clearly a wrong action on Tomlin's part) but nothing about the clear helmet to helmet hits on the steeler fullback that lost his helmet as a result of those hits and was then ruled not in the end-zone due to that loss.

I've been waiting for the NFL to announce fines for those helmet to helmet hits but it seems that player safety is not as important.

At this point the Steelers should take a hard look at all of the younger players that have not played much this year and get a good assessment of their long term talent and the team's needs. In losing the rest of their games, the Steelers should assure themselves of at least one high draft pick (even if the NFL takes a pick away). In addition they need to dump some of their high cost starters for future draft picks or young players.

Agreed it seemed deliberate and should be penalized (draft picks are not too harsh)

Also agree that the Patriots got virtually nothing for their cognizant multi-year violation of the rules. If the NCAA took away a title from USC, then it could be appropriate to take at least one from the Patriots.

It wasn't a case of merely standing in the wrong place. The replay clearly showed Tomlin edging his foot toward the runner's path. The video also showed Tomlin grinning afterward...so proud of himself. The fact that Tomlin didn't own up to his true intent--to impede the runner's path--warrants a more severe penalty.

Let me ask you this Kile: Suppose the player on your favorite team was returning the kick and the opposing coach lost his semblance during the return and accidentally trip the player who would have scored the winning touchdown in the super bowl. Do you think you would be upset? There are reasons for the white markers.

I agree about the officiating but two different things.

In my opinion we should get rid of instant replay and live with the calls. The time to review a play is getting absurd. Also, in regards to the Redskin's game, I clearly saw the official hold up 3 fingers indicating 3rd down. It also doesn't mean the Redskins would have converted and/or tied the game. For the record I am a Giants Fan so its probably easy for me to say what I just said but if you review the play, both the line judge and back judge were holding 3 fingers.

The NFL is already somewhat embarrassed when the refs gave away the New Orleans - San Francisco game on a bad call...then doubled down on the bad call with a fine. The NFL's own stupidity on fining the hits that don't violate safety is making it harder for them to do the right thing when it actually matters.

I agree, but if they had bumped it to $200K -- $100K for the knuckleheadedness + $100K for the post-incident smirk -- then that would've been a fine fine, too.

I'd also revoke his membership on the Competition Committee.

The draft-pick decision probably won't come until February and might not be invoked; just might be hung out there to serve as a clear signal of the seriousness of his unprofessional, classless move plus a League-wide warning.

And "Thanks", Coach, for embarrassing the franchise -- and on national TV, no less.

The grin could have been an 'Oh Sxxt' grin. As far as edging his feet over, he isn't that dumb. He knows that there were cameras on all over the place. He said he was watching the jumbotron (or whatever) and lost awareness of where he was. The only crime he committed was momentary stupidity.

As for the Redskins' game, the official told Shanahan it was a first down, they moved the chains 10 yards downfield, the downmarker was moved to 1, and the NFL apologized to the Redskins for the down mix-up. So, just because one person showed a 3 on his hand doesn't supersede what I stated in my previous sentence. Refs completely blew it and those responsible should be fined.

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